


No Laughing Matter

by Waterfall58



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Angry James T. Kirk, Episode: s01e13 The Galileo Seven, Kinda Sad Ending Coz It Stays Pre-Slash, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:14:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25807942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waterfall58/pseuds/Waterfall58
Summary: Kirk does not respond positively (to put it mildly) to learning how his crew challenged Spock's leadership and decisions on Taurus II.  Poor Lt. Boma!
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Comments: 25
Kudos: 125





	No Laughing Matter

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of my least Star Trek episodes. I think it's one of the reasons I never 'took' to Dr. McCoy's character. I thought his behavior - as another Chief Officer - was appalling in its lack of support for Spock. I can hardly watch the episode, except for the buoyant ending. I had to write this so that all the characters that pissed me off in the episode have to face the avenging wrath of one James T. Kirk!

Captain James T. Kirk was still chuckling when he left the bridge. 

His laughter changed into something approaching giggles when his First Officer, who had joined him in the lift, released what could only be called a long-suffering sigh.

Kirk tried to stop; he really did. But his sense of relief and giddiness over how the majority of his crew had made it safely back from Taurus II – an outcome of which he once despaired - overwhelmed him once again.

“Captain,” Spock said sternly, although his eyes were smiling. “Perhaps this ongoing inability to control your emotions requires medical intervention.”

Kirk only grinned in return. “My quarters: 1700 hours for a private debriefing.”

It didn’t seem possible, but Spock’s posture became even more ramrod straight. “Yes sir. I welcome your thoughts.”

Kirk was uncertain what he had seen momentarily in the Vulcan’s eyes, but it sobered him immediately. “What is it, Mr. Spock?” 

An eyebrow rose slightly. “Specify.”

Kirk stared at his friend as the lift slowed. Trusting his instincts, Kirk reached out and gripped Spock’s elbow. “It is the rare and very, very lucky commander that never experiences the loss of personnel while on a mission,” he said gently, steering Spock out of the lift.

“Thank you, Captain,” Spock said quietly.

Kirk squeezed his elbow, letting his fingers drift down Spock’s arm. Kirk’s expression slowly brightened. “I have to admit that I’m looking forward to hear more backpedaling about your – ahem - emotional outburst.”

Spock cocked his head to one side. “Backpedaling? We had no such bipedal transportation on the planet.”

Kirk’s laugh rang out again, as Spock had hoped it would. “OK, Mr. Spock. Was that your Vulcan way of saying ‘I’ll talk to you later, Jim’?”

Spock’s head bent to the other side in sudden confusion. “We are already scheduled to ‘talk later’ at 1700 hours.”

“You’re killing me, Spock,” Kirk wheezed.

Spock brows rose in alarm. “Captain, I do not have my hands on your person. How can I be ‘killing’ you?”

Kirk waved his arms in surrender and walked away, his laughter floating back to Spock in wave after wave. A small, tolerant smile curved Spock’s lips before he turned toward his own cabin.

********************************************

Kirk’s chuckling lasted through a light meal and a quick shower. Not even taking a comm from Commissioner Farris dimmed his good humor. He pulled-up the reports from the Taurus II landing party, his laughter finally extinguished as he read through the logs.

Anger such as he rarely experienced swept through him. He pushed away from his desk and paced back and forth for nearly fifteen minutes. He could hardly wrap his mind around the fact that Lieutenants Gaetano and Boma could be so disrespectful to Spock. Especially Boma, whose ongoing behavior threatened the safety of the entire landing party. 

And Bones! Why hadn’t Bones immediately criticized Boma’s behavior instead of essentially fanning its flames? It was Spock’s first away team command: as a senior officer, Bones should have done – and said – everything he could to show his trust in Spock.

Kirk stopped pacing and re-read all logs. Once finished, he commed Scotty and asked him to report to his quarters. Kirk was glad that Scotty needed little urging to express his displeasure with Lieutenant Boma. Scotty was more reluctant, however, to pass judgment on Dr. McCoy, choosing instead to emphasize the few instances when McCoy voiced his own displeasure at Boma’s behavior. Scotty was quite eloquent in his praise of Spock’s ability to be patient and flexible with the crew’s needs. “After all, sir, we wouldn’t be here at’tall if it weren’t for Mr. Spock.”

“Don’t underestimate your own contributions, Scotty.” Kirk reminded him. He paused briefly before continuing. “Thank you. Dismissed.”

Kirk smiled at the back of his retreating officer. Good, old Scotty! He was grateful that Spock at least had his full support on the planet. Kirk’s expression slowly hardened and he returned to his computer with grim purpose. It took almost three hours and the redeeming of a favor owed, but Kirk finally sat back in satisfaction. He reached for his comm with an expression so dark it would have made a Klingon proud.

Lieutenant Boma was surprised to receive the order to report to Captain Kirk’s quarters. On his way, he pondered the reason for it. He knew that his behavior toward Commander Spock on Taurus II had bordered on insolent, but surely, he was not going to be reprimanded for it. 

He recalled his roommate’s low whistle when he had told him all that occurred. “You spoke to Commander Spock like that? I’ve always heard that the captain completely loses his shit whenever someone disrespects or hurts Mr. Spock. You’ll be lucky if he doesn’t bust you down to yeoman status.” His roommate shook his head, eyeing him carefully. “Remind me never to go on an away mission with you. If I had been Mr. Spock, I would have nerve-pinched your mouthy ass.”

Boma reminded himself that he had only spoken the truth to Mr. Spock. Even Dr. McCoy had supported him by agreeing that Spock had no heart. Feeling more confident, Boma rang for admission to Kirk’s quarters.

“Come.” 

Boma swallowed at the sight of Kirk standing in the middle of the room, posture erect and rigid, his hands clasped behind his back. “I have read all of the logs concerning the events on Taurus II,” Kirk began, his tone non-committal. “And I have a question for you, Lieutenant.”

“Yes, sir,” Boma said, standing at full attention. 

“If I had been on the planet and ordered Lieutenants Latimer and Gaetano’s bodies to remain unburied, would you have followed my orders?”

A small, knowing smile broke on Boma’s face. Kirk had to grip his hands tightly to keep from punching that smile right off his face. “You would never have given such an order, sir.”

“And your reason for that belief, Lieutenant, is …?” Kirk prompted easily. Spock would have known to distrust the innocent expression on Kirk’s face. Boma did not.

“Well, sir, you’re human. You understand.”

Kirk clenched his jaw so tightly his teeth ached. He breathed in deeply through his nose and released it slowly. 

“I understand that my first concern would have been the safety of my crew and getting everyone off that planet as soon as possible. So, let me ask the question again: would you have followed my orders?”

There was no mistaking now that Kirk was displeased with him. Boma couldn’t believe he was going to be reprimanded for not jumping when the Vulcan snapped his cold, green fingers. Boma paused, then replied: “Yes, sir. You are the captain.”

Kirk nodded, as if he had expected that answer. “So it was only the fact that Mr. Spock gave the order that you decided it wasn’t worth following.”

Boma remained silent, his unease growing. 

“I have another question for you,” Kirk said with deceptive calm. He waited for Boma’s nod before continuing, “When Mr. Spock noted that the weight equivalent of three grown men would have to be lost from the shuttle in order for it to fly, was your response ‘And who is to choose?”

“Yes, sir,” Boma replied, his temper rising. Surely there had been nothing wrong in his asking that question. So why was Kirk staring at him with such evident dislike? “What would you have had me say, sir?” he finally questioned, unable to keep the irritation out of his tone.

“I would have expected you, as a Lieutenant member of my crew, to volunteer to remain behind.”

The words were harshly spoken. Boma flinched as if slapped.

“According to your own report, you called your commanding officer a machine, openly declared yourself hostile to him and constantly challenged his orders, to the detriment of crew morale and safety. I’ll tolerate no xenobigots or mutineers on my ship, mister.”

Mutin – ! With all due respect, Captain!” Boma exclaimed.

Kirk did not allow him to continue. “Your transfer off this ship has been approved by Starfleet. When we reach Markus III, the USS Rampart will welcome you aboard as her newest crew member.”

Boma stared at him, mouth gaping open. “But, sir!”

“Dismissed.”

“But sir! The Rampart is a frigate!”

“Dismissed!”

Boma’s expression morphed from stunned to angry. He wheeled about and paused as the cabin doors swished open. He half-turned back to Kirk, his lips twisting in an ugly smile. “I hope Mr. Spock is appropriately grateful, sir” he sneered. “It will be from his knees, no doubt.”

Kirk’s face flamed crimson as the doors snapped shut behind the crewman. He lunged for his comm. “Security! This is the Captain. Lieutenant Boma has just left my quarters. Pick him up and place him in the brig for insubordination.”

“Aye, aye sir!” was the crisp reply. 

Dr. McCoy nodded at Lieutenant Boma as they crossed paths near Kirk’s cabin. Boma assumed it was now the doctor’s turn to be interrogated and castigated. “I hope you’re willing to suck Vulcan cock, doctor,” Boma snarled.

McCoy came to an outraged halt, his blue eyes snapping. He never got the chance to ask any questions, as Security suddenly converged on the seething and struggling Boma. McCoy was surprised but glad to learn that he was being escorted to the brig.   
He glanced at Kirk’s door. Boma had surely been coming from Kirk’s cabin. Thinking about the inappropriate warning Boma had hurled his way, he could only imagine what the lieutenant had said to Kirk that landed him in the brig. He considered letting Kirk cool down for a while, but his curiosity wouldn’t let him wait. He buzzed for entry.

“Come.”

McCoy saw instantly that whatever had happened with Boma had Kirk in rare state. His face was red and he was pacing around his cabin like a man about to explode. 

“What the hell is going on?” McCoy exclaimed. “Are you all right, Jim?”

Kirk whipped around and told McCoy in blistering words what he thought of his behavior on Taurus II. Bones was initially stunned into silence, but when Kirk accused him of undermining Spock’s command, he interrupted. “Now wait just a god-damn minute! How the hell did I do that?”

McCoy half-listened to Kirk’s terse example, his brain more focused on Kirk’s wringing hands and the muscles protruding from his neck. No matter that Kirk was way off-base in his view of what had happened on the planet, the important thing was to calm the man down before he had a stroke.

“OK, Jim,” McCoy said quietly and without any defensiveness. “You’ve made your point.”

“Tell me, Bones. Would have you have spoken about me to a crewman as you did Spock?”

“I’m not following you, Jim.”

“Would you ever denigrate my command skill or my behavior to a crewman?”

“Of course not! Well, unless you were being controlled by aliens,” the doctor added in a lighter tone.

Kirk nodded, but he was not deflected by McCoy's attempt at humor. “But it was acceptable to comment to Lieutenant Boma that Spock – your commanding officer in that critical situation – had no heart? It was acceptable to invite ridicule and doubt of your commanding officer?” 

McCoy’s brows rose. Although the doctor could be outrageously outspoken, he also had the ability to recognize when he stepped over the line. Now was one of those times. He had no desire to argue with Kirk. Plus, he had to admit that Kirk had a point. He had never thought about the off-hand statement he made to Boma in that way.

“OK Jim. I see now how Lieutenant Boma could have taken what I said for encouragement.” He paused and forced himself to add: “I’m sorry.”

“You’ll apologize to Spock as well?” Kirk wanted to know. 

McCoy bit the inside of his cheek and nodded. “Yes, I’ll apologize to Spock as well.”

McCoy watched the anger drain from the captain. Kirk’s expression turned somewhat sheepish and he offered an apology of his own. “Sorry, Bones,” Kirk sighed, rubbing his temples, then the back of his neck. “I read the logs of what happened on the planet. I … I was appalled at how Mr. Spock was treated and I lost my temper. It’s difficult to learn that anyone on my ship could be so insubordinate.”

McCoy nodded. “If Lieutenant Boma said anything to you like he did to me in the corridor, I’m not surprised you threw him in the brig.”

“What did he say to you?” Kirk asked warily.

McCoy told him. Kirk’s cheeks flushed again and he clutched his hands behind his back, twisting them furiously. “How did someone like that it make it through the Academy?”

“I think his father is a commissioner in Starfleet.”

“Of course,” Kirk muttered.

“Sulu told me about the pressure Farris put on you. Between that and worrying about us, you haven’t had a great day. I can appreciate why you finally had to let off some steam.”

Kirk threw a grateful smile at his CMO. There were several seconds of silence between them before Kirk spoke firmly: “It’s not fair to expect Spock to make decisions as I do. He will have his own way to command. He’s Vulcan, not human.”

“He’s half-human,” McCoy protested.

“And as human beings, what do we do when someone pesters us to act or think a certain way?” Kirk challenged.

MCCoy stared at Kirk for a beat before grudgingly responding: “We often do nothing at all or we do the opposite.”

Kirk nodded. “I worry that one day Spock will decide that the Enterprise is no longer where he wants to be; that the pressure heaped on him ‘to be human’ has become too great. I don’t know what I’d … I can’t …. I don’t want to lose him – don’t want to lose the best First Officer in the fleet,” he amended quickly.

McCoy had always known that Kirk was strangely protective of Spock. He found it as amusing as he did puzzling and irritating. Surely if anyone could look out for himself, it was Spock. Still, Kirk seemed extraordinarily driven to ensure the Vulcan’s comfort in various unobtrusive ways. 

McCoy was certain he would never forget the first time the Enterprise chef checked with him to ensure that Mr. Spock was not allergic to any of the Vulcan herbs Kirk had given him. “Captain said he bought ‘em while on shore leave; thought Mr. Spock didn’t like the flavor of our food,” the chef explained. “He is pretty skinny, our Mr. Spock, isn’t he? I’m willing to use ’em; just need to make sure they’re safe for him. Oh and don’t tell Mr. Spock, OK? Captain said he didn’t want Mr. Spock feeling obligated to get ’em anything in return.” The chef checked with him so many times about seasonings, food and drink that Kirk secretly provided him for Spock’s consumption that McCoy and the chef had become quite good friends.

On a rare trip to the biolaundry, McCoy had also discovered that Kirk arranged for the Enterprise to receive special thermal material, specifically to be used for Spock’s blue tunics and undershirts. Once again, he was asked not to tell Mr. Spock. “The captain said Mr. Spock would be embarrassed if people knew he was so sensitive to the temperature on the Enterprise. Poor Mr. Spock! I always thought he looked perfectly comfortable. Who would have guessed, huh?” 

McCoy rarely admitted to himself how these actions of Kirk’s had a romantic overtone, but as he stared at the slightly squirming man across from him, McCoy’s lips twisted in an ironic smile. Trust Jim to become enamored with the one person incapable of being seduced or loving him back! 

Kirk’s buzzer startled both men. “Come,” Kirk called out.

Spock entered with a quiet step. He nodded at the doctor. “Shall I return later, Captain?”

“No, no, Spock. Bones and I are done for now.”

McCoy nodded and took several steps toward the door, before he stopped and turned around. He didn’t relish the idea of apologizing to Spock in front of Kirk, but he wanted the captain to know that he was serious in his intentions.

“Spock, I … I want you to know that I’m sorry I wasn’t more supportive down on the planet. It wasn’t my intention to make things worse for you.”

Spock seemed mildly surprised at McCoy’s apology. “You were simply acting in your typical irrational fashion, Doctor. I can assure you it was only what I expected.”

All of McCoy’s equanimity vanished. “Oh, it was, was it? You can’t even accept a simple apology, can you? What’s the matter, Spock? Can’t those computer engrams in your brain -”

“Bones,” Kirk sharply interrupted in warning.

McCoy glared at Spock, wondering what on earth Kirk, with his roving eye and legendary lusty roaming, found so attractive in a green-blooded block of ice? “Well, I’ve made my apology, for all the good it did,” McCoy growled. Without another word, he turned and exited the room.

Brows raised, Spock looked at his captain. “The doctor seems even more excitable than usual.”

“It's been a long day for everyone,” Kirk said with a slight smile. He looked at his First Officer and the moment held. How could anyone disrespect this man of infinite intelligence and quiet kindness?

A surge of strong affection propelled Kirk closer to the Vulcan. He was unaware just how long he stood gazing appreciatively into his First Officer’s eyes until the dark green flush in Spock’s cheeks caught his attention. “Spock,” he asked in wonder. “Are you blushing?” 

“Vulcans do not blush,” Spock replied primly.

Kirk attempted to smother his grin, but based on Spock’s severe expression, he was unsuccessful.

Affection was dulled with a sharp pang as Kirk realized just how close he came to losing this precious friendship. “I never want to live even one day without you by my side,” were the words that raced from his brain to his lips. He opened his mouth, then closed it tightly. Kirk made several more attempts, but swallowed the words each time. 

Spock's breaths became unsteady. Kirk's suddenly vulnerable expression called out to him, but years of Vulcan discipline held firm and strangled his voice.

Kirk's shoulders sagged briefly before straightening. He waved a hand toward the divan. Spock dutifully sat. 

The silence was thick with tension and possibility. Something dangled between them; something enticing yet terrifying in its pulsing potency. The typically eloquent Kirk sat dumb, his fingers restless and his eyes focused just over Spock's shoulder. Years later, both would remember this moment and wonder how their future may have changed had either of them been fearless enough to reach out; to risk their heart in a single gesture.

Just as quickly as it arose, however, the moment evaporated. Kirk cleared his throat and forced speech around the tightness in his throat. “Lets start with what were the goals of this mission.”

Spock ignored the pang of sudden sadness. He started talking.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is also one of my least favorite Star Trek stories I've ever written. I tried and tried, but simply could not make either character take a leap of faith into Slash! Ugh!!! Also, I believe I took liberties with the Vulcan nerve pinch (I forgot to check to see if it had already been used in an episode). Apologies to those that are serious about those kinds of things.


End file.
